Reboots and sequels in 2017: the good, the bad and what we actually want

By Melody Lau

Every year, the box office looks more and more familiar. It's almost like a déjà vu effect sets in as you scroll through the list of releases: Beauty and the Beast, Guardians of the Galaxy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Despicable Me, Cars... Whether we're remaking or rebooting an old film or franchise, or simply adding another one to an established title, moviegoers are being offered a lot of returning characters and extended universes.

This onslaught of sequels and reboots have sparked a polarizing conversation. Are these movies good or bad for the industry? And more importantly, are they any good for us? The answer is complicated, but, we've broken down some of the bigger pros and cons to this below.

THE GOOD

Wonder Woman will undoubtedly stand out as not only this summer's biggest film, but also one of this year's biggest overall successes. The film, which is neither a direct sequel nor a reboot but instead an extension of the DC Comic film universe, just exemplifies a lot of ways the film industry isn't doomed, even if this may be the worst second quarter for ticket sales since 1986. So, let's focus on this one as it illustrates some important headway being made in the industry.

On a macro level, Wonder Woman is a win for diversity in film. For those who argue that women behind, and in front of, the camera are not as profitable — especially when it comes to big superhero blockbusters — the movie's success is sheer proof that this is simply not true. Currently the fourth highest grossing film of the year with over $745 million, Wonder Woman has a good chance at catching up with the third place Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 by the end of the summer.

Actress Gal Gadot has quickly become a star thanks to this film, catapulting her from her early years in the machismo (but great in its own right) franchise of the Fast and the Furious to helming her own film series. While Wonder Woman isn't the first to achieve this kind of success — just look at what Jennifer Lawrence built with the Hunger Games — this is just another step towards furthering women-led films on a larger scale. With Margot Robbie returning as Harley Quinn in Gotham City Sirens, and Brie Larson heading Captain Marvel, one can only hope that this trend eventually becomes the norm. Maybe that Black Widow movie will finally get made.

Behind the camera, director Patty Jenkins is showing that women should be trusted to leap from small budget productions to multi-million-dollar franchises just as much as her male counterparts (Jenkins' other best known film was 2003's critically-acclaimed Monster). It's a move that's all too common for male directors like Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow, who was bestowed two franchises (Jurassic World and Star Wars: Episode IX) after only putting out the indie film, Safety Not Guaranteed, but rarely allowed for women. However, hot on the heels of Wonder Woman's release, it's already been announced that Gina Prince-Bythewood, director of Love & Basketball and 2014's supremely overlooked Beyond the Lights, will be taking on the Spider-Man spinoff, Silver and Black. So, with any luck, Wonder Woman's successes will only lead to more opportunities for directors, screenwriters and other integral roles.  

Wonder Woman also performed a small-scale miracle for the DC Extended Universe. With back-to-back critical failures, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, DC has had a rough couple of years. So what may have been a risk for DC — putting out a female-led film that's directed by a woman — has now paid off, hopefully ensuring that they continue to work with this mentality and approach with future projects. With a Wonder Woman appearance in the upcoming Justice League, as well as a Wonder Woman sequel in the works, it'll be nice to see these superheroes match up to its rivals at Marvel.

THE BAD

Where sequels and reboots fail is when they stick to tried-and-tested formulas, a method that refuses to change in hopes of reaping the same rewards, film after film. These are the films that are seeing the most fatigue and have immensely contributed to a lacklustre summer at the box office.

The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Transformers: The Last Knight were all unanimously panned upon release for its inability to innovate. By relying solely on its marquee actors and track record, each of these releases put something important on the backburner: a good story. In fact, they'd be remiss if they didn't ask the question: are there any more stories to be told here? Because no matter how profitable a franchise can be, if a good narrative isn't there, a decline in interest and revenue will set in. And that is clearly the case with these three films.

In absence of a compelling story or passionate interest behind the camera, they throw a variety of elements at the screen and hope something sticks: passively incoherent worldbuilding, waning or serviceable star power, mindnumbing CGI-focused action. Even good recent blockbusters can fall prey to one of these elements at times, but in these films, those catastrophic elements hit all at once.

While these films are still making money worldwide (all three are among the top 10 highest grossing films of the year so far, mostly thanks to box offices outside of North America), they are still generally underperforming. Studios can keep making these movies but the odds of them ever producing a juggernaut like Wonder Woman are low unless they make some major changes.

WHAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE

Our wishlist is simple: originality. This isn't to say we need new, standalone films. We can welcome a sequel or a reboot but all we ask is for a fresh perspective, in stories, cast and behind-the-scenes roles.

Amongst the top grossing films of the year are a few key hints at where film can go, a glimmer of the direction studios should be working towards: Get Out, Baby Driver and The Big Sick. The latter two are relatively new but have made a significant mark on the box office and with critics for their exciting takes on heist films and rom-coms, respectively. Baby Driver was a big-budget move for cult director Edgar Wright, who put his own flare on a classic genre. The Big Sick placed Pakistani-American actor, Kumail Nanjiani, in the role of the leading man in a romantic film, embracing a new narrative that is forced to confront how race affects a love story, something that should be explored more.

The reason why moviegoers may feel less enticed to go out and watch certain sequels is because they're not given much reason to when they already have a library full of similar films at home or on streaming services. So studios need to step up and give viewers something new, something thrilling, and not just another battle between robots.

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